La Belle Epoque Napa Valley Showcased Its New, Improved Look
During An Open House-It Was Standing Room Only At This Special Affair.

Napa News, the publisher of the Napa Register and other local newspapers
published this article by Julie Gordon, Staff Writer. La Belle Epoque completes
2-year upgrade Historic bed and breakfast, inn remained open during the upgrade
work in Napa.

(PRWEB) June 20, 2005 -- La Belle Epoque showcased its new, improved look
during an open house - it was standing room only at this special affair.

Napa News, the publisher of the Napa Register and other local newspapers
published this article by Julie Gordon, Staff Writer.

The historic bed
and breakfast at 1386 Calistoga Ave. in Napa recently finished a two-year
upgrade of its nine bedrooms, which now have 600 to 900 thread count sheets, new
wallpaper and paint on the walls and reupholstered furniture, according to
Lynette Sands, who owns the business with her husband Steve. Some of the rooms
also now have Jacuzzis.

"Everything is brand new," Sands said.

"It was pretty before, but now we've just stepped up a notch," said
hospitality manager Ramona Newman.

La Belle Epoque never shut down while
the rooms were being remodeled, Newman said. Each of the rooms was worked on and
closed at a different time, enabling La Belle Epoque to remain open. Much of the
design work was done by Indra Fortney, owner of La Vie Belle Interiors in Napa,
whose emphasis is on European and Asian-influenced design. Fortney, who makes
regular trips to France and Italy, selected artwork and accessories for the
rooms.

"The idea is opulent," she said. "People want to feel like
they're in a luxurious, opulent environment."

Several of La Belle
Epoque's previous owners attended the open house.

Georgia Jump -- who
sold La Belle Époque to the Sands about four years ago and now lives in Tucson
-- said she likes the new look.

"She did a fantastic job," Jump said.

Claudia Wedepohl, who owned La Belle Epoque with her husband Merlin from
1989 to 1996, concurred.

"It's really quite nice," she said. "She
continued the tradition of all the people who poured their life savings (into
this bed and breakfast)."

Heidi Greer, who owned the house with Gene Webb
from 1975 to 1979, said she is grateful that it is still in good condition.

"The old charm, the old woodwork, is all intact," she said. "That's the
part I like the most."

La Belle Epoque's rooms are all named after wine
varietals. Two of the rooms are actually in the Buckley House next door, which
Lynette and Steve Sands also own.

La Belle Epoque, which means "the
beautiful era" in French, is a fitting name for a bed and breakfast that has all
the modern conveniences, yet takes guests back in time with its antique decor,
stained glass and old time charm.

It's the only bed and breakfast in
Napa Valley that has a wine tasting room, Sands said. The wines come from
wineries such as Goosecross Cellars, Vintners Collective, Terra Valentine and
Honig.

La Belle Epoque was named the No. 1 inn in the United States for
wine tasting by Inn Traveler Magazine. It also was named one of the six bed and
breakfasts with the best food in the United States by Reader's Digest New
Choices Magazine.

The Victorian beauty was designed in 1893 by architect
Luther M. Turton (who designed many of the buildings in Napa between 1876 and
1925) and built by Herman Schwartz, a successful hardware merchant and community
leader, for his daughter Minnie, who occupied the house for less than four years
before her death.

After standing vacant for several years the house was
occupied by the Eagle Cycling club, which used it as a clubhouse. In 1903, the
Silva family, owners of the Napa Soda Springs Mineral Water Company, purchased
the house as a private residence. The family lived in the house until 1941 with
their son Frank, who eventually became district attorney of Napa County. Between
1941 and 1980, the house had several owners. In 1981, Blanca Semmler acquired
the house and gave it the name La Belle Epoque Bed and Breakfast Inn, which was
one of the first bed and breakfasts in Napa Valley.